Jo-Wilfried Tsonga faces Mardy Fish in a must-win match for both men at the ATP World Tour Finals.
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It's crunch time at the ATP World Tour Finals and both Tsonga and Fish know they have to win this one to stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages. Both players will be ruing missed chances after Sunday's opening Group B rubbers.
Tsonga was totally outplayed in the first set against Roger Federer, losing it just in 21 minutes but was gifted a lifeline as the Federer forehand went off the radar in the second set and it was anyone's match in the final set till a terrible service game at 4-5 saw Tsonga's hopes evaporate.
It was equally frustrating for Fish who had played some inspired serve-volley tennis to give himself a chance after being racked by nerves during the opening set against Rafa Nadal. The American found himself a break up in the final set but he couldn't take his chances and predictably Nadal proved too strong in the tiebreak.
"I was just excited to get out there and be a part of this whole thing,"Fish said afterwards. "I didn't play well. Obviously I got a little more comfortable after playing a set. Sort of getting used to all the surroundings with people in there. With the lights back, dark, it makes for good tennis. Conditions are absolutely perfect. That took a little bit of getting used to, I guess, 20 minutes or so."
Tsonga won their only previous match at the US Open a few months ago, a particularly painful loss for Fish. The American came into his home slam in the form of his life and convinced he had a shot at the title but Tsonga hit back from two sets to one down to win 6-4, 6-7(5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Prediction: Tsonga in straight sets.
